New Bodega - Refurbishing Work

Here's a quick update on the refurbishing work that we've been doing at the bodega.

It's been a very intense month or so for me, as we're racing against time to have everything by August, for the Albillo harvest.

The biggest jobs were: 1. Scraping and painting the ceiling, and we had to hire a mobile platform to reach the highest points;

Scraping and painting (1)

Scraping and painting (2)

Scraping and painting (3)

Scraping and painting (4)

2. Scrubbing and cleaning the walls of the concrete tanks.

Cleaning concrete tanks (1)

Cleaning concrete tanks (2)

3. Painting the floor of the area where we're going to make the wine, with special washable paint.

...fotos

We did all this by ourselves with the help of friends and family, otherwise the cost would have been too much for our budgets!

We're also installing a bathroom, tidying up the patio, and refurbishing a bottling room, and an office/lab room.

Future bathroom

Future bottling room

Now we have about a month to do all the remaining "minor" tasks. The most time-consuming is the painting. Even if it's not really essential I think it's important from an aesthetic (and psychological) point of view, ie the place will look a lot better when we take visitors there, and the visual impact makes me feel that the place is really mine!

A few weeks ago we had a visit from the inspectors from the Ministry of Health, and they gave us a provisional acceptance, pending certain works, which we have to do now in order to get a definitive permit:

- install false ceilings in the bathroom and bottling room
- install foot-operated wash-hand basins
- install hot water boiler and ventillation grille in the bathroom
- paper-towel dispenser, locks and cupboard in the bathroom
- anti-insect screens in all the windows of the bodega
- fix gaps in main doors

As if that were not enough, we also have to do some other tasks (even though they're not legally required):

- fix bars on windows
- sell conveyor belts, and other scrap
- make patio nice
- set up tasting-room area

Mobile conveyor belt for sale

Non-mobile conveyor belt for sale

Messy patio (1)

Messy patio (2)

And lastly, we have to fix the lighting and power installations. This is going to be hugely expensive and we're still asking for estimates from electricians and looking for ways of cutting down the cost.

All of the above has meant that I haven't been able to tend my vineyards or my wines in the old bodega, or attend to my blogs, interact on FB and Twitter, etc, or go to tastings or events :(

But I can't complain! After all, this is what I've been wanting to do for the last 10 years :)